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their goods to the very doors of the Virginians to procure it.[1]
- ↑ The condition of William Fitzhugh was in all its main particulars doubtless fairly representative of that of every planter in the Colony who was in possession of an equal degree of wealth. In a letter to Dr. Ralph Smith, April 22, 1686, he thus describes it: “The plantation where I now live contains one thousand acres at least, seven hundred acres of which are a rich thicket, the remainder good hearty plantable land without any waste either by marshes or great swamps, the commodiousuess, conveniency and pleasantness yourself knows, and upon it, there are three quarters well furnished with all necessary houses, grounds and fencing, together with a choice crew of negroes at each plantation, most of them this country born, the remainder as likely as most in Virginia, there being twenty-nine in all with stocks of cattle and hogs in each quarter. Upon the same land is my own dwelling house furnished with all accommodations for a comfortable and gentle living, with rooms in it, four of the best of them hung, nine of them plentifully furnished with all things necessary and convenient, and all houses for use furnished with brick chimneys, four good cellars, a dairy, dove cot, stable, barn, henhouse, kitchen and all other convenienceys, and all in a manner new, a large orchard of about 2500 apple trees, most grafted, well fenced with a locust fence, which is as durable as most brick walls, a garden a hundred foot square well paled in, a yard wherein is most of the foresaid necessary houses pallisadoed in with locust puncheons, which is as good as if it were walled in, and more lasting than any of our bricks, together with a good stock of cattle, hogs, horses, mares, sheep, necessary servants belonging to it for the supply and support thereof. About a mile and a half distant a good water grist mill, whose tole I find sufficient to find my own family with wheat and Indian corn for our necessities and occasions. Up the river in this county, three tracts of land more, one of them contains 21,990 acres, another 500 and one other 1000 acres, all good, convenient and commodious seats and which in a few years will yield a considerable annual income. A stock of tobacco with the crops and good debts lying out of about 250,000 lbs., besides sufficient of almost all sorts of goods to supply the familys and the quartets occasion for two or three years. Thus I have given you some particulars, which I thus deduce the yearly crops of corn and tobacco together with the surplusage of meat more than will serve the family’s use, will amount annually to 60,000 lbs. of tobacco, which at ten shillings per hundred weight is £300 per annum, and the negroes being all young and a considerable parcel of breeders, will keep the stock good forever. The stock of tobacco managed with an inland trade will yearly yield 60,000 lbs. of tobacco without
